Unit 5: 1920-1936 Summative Assessment Which had a greater impact on the United States, the Roaring 20's or the Great Depression? Abigail Spiker Mr. Wicks US History, P4 2/24/2023 (Absent on discussion day) The Great Depression was undeniably one of the biggest challenges America had to face. The nation's moral, economy, and politics were all incredibly unstable and in need of assistance. While the Great Depression lasted a decade, the effects of this national crisis lasted longer. With that said, the Great Depression wouldn’t have occurred, or at least not at the time it had, if it weren’t for the Roaring Twenties. After World War 1, America was thriving and rebuilding itself. In doing so, the nation experienced significant social and economic changes like spending mass amounts of money to signify wealth. As a result, …show more content…
During the Roaring Twenties, consumerism began to rise as people became more comfortable with spending and buying what they wanted, even if they didn’t need it. According to U.S. History, “New products made household chores easier and led to more leisure time. Products previously too expensive became affordable. New forms of financing allowed every family to spend beyond their current means” (U.S. History). Many middle class families were taking advantage of this and “replicating” first class lifestyles. This type of spending can be seen today as well. Middle class, and even lower class families and citizens are investing lots of money into fancy cars, expensive equipment, etc., because they are hot ticket items that can represent status and wealth. In reality, these people may not be able to afford them as easily as a first class citizen can, causing many to willingly live paycheck by paycheck. In the end, the Roaring Twenties helped encourage this behavior, greatly impacting the way Americans interact with money